ESL Writers Take-aways

Chapter 1

• Writing centers provide the possibility for students to engage in negotiation of meaning, promoting second-language acquisition
• It is important not to come into tutoring students with identity assumptions
• Students may have trouble shifting from the informal language of high school life to the more formal, academic styles of college
• Articles or prepositions are where writing demands absolute accuracy
• Difficulty in restructuring a student's version of English may be psycholinguistic
• Free-flow style of expression combined with lack of English-writing experience, vocab and fluency may cause students to have a hard time with clarity
• Writing and communicating is essential for knowing and presenting ideas of identity and self

Chapter 2

• Four major theories of second language acquisition: behaviorist, innatist, cognitivist, interactionist
• Behaviorist theory discusses the process of observing, attempting, succeeding and integrating into use
• Transfer errors may be identified if you are familiar with the student's native language
• The cognitivist theory discusses noticing, practicing and making the skill automatic
• The interactionist theory discusses how a second language acquisition happens through interaction

Chapter 3

• Making a plan helps us get organized and creates a shared responsibility between tutor and writer
• Even checking grammar requires a plan
• A plan is helpful at the end of sessions as well as at the beginning/during

Chapter 4

• The relationship between language proficiency and writing proficiency is not simple; being able to speak English does not necessarily correspond to quality of texts produced
• Three ways of reading are presented: assimilationist, accommodationist and separatist
• Accommodationist reading helps the writer learn new discourse patterns without completely losing the old one - maintains linguistic and cultural identities
• Separatist reading supports the writer in maintaining separate linguistic and cultural identities while advocating for an appreciation of multicultural writing
• Pay attention to your own initial reaction to particular errors that interfere with understanding meaning
• Focus on what the writer is trying to communicate and how the paper is organized

Chapter 5

• Appropriation can silence a writer's own unique voice
• Three key ways to avoid appropriation are addressing expressed needs; having writers participate in reformation decisions; and avoiding misrepresenting students' language level
• Other tips: Give the writer authority, work on higher-order concerns first, select passages to work on, use speaking-into-writing, explain recommendations, assess language learning and consider the type of writing

Chapter 6

• Topical structure analysis lets writers look at global coherence and local cohesion
• Occasionally directing the writer's attention to problems with language that obscure meaning helps the writer more clearly express herself
• Help writers extract the form so they can map it onto meaning and function

Chapter 7

• Writing in U.S. colleges and universities is commonly based on cultural conceptions about clear writing and effective argumentation - which may not be shared by ESL writers
• Focus first on the assignment
• Ask writers what they chose to write about to respond to the assignment
• Focus on the writer's process
• May want to read through a piece first to get an overall impression then go through a second time to talk about issues both tutor and tutee notice